


Security

by LadyShadowphyre



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Tony Is A Genius, Tony Knows He Has Issues, Tony Stark Has Issues, Wanting to be Helped is NOT the Same as Being Helpless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 10:09:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/608664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyShadowphyre/pseuds/LadyShadowphyre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony knows he doesn't <i>need</i> Pepper's help, but he does need <i>Pepper</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Security

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Tony: Loves being taken care of. Tony is a competent type of guy. He knows how to heat up a can of soup and not burn down the kitchen. However, he wants to look helpless since then, he's never alone and people have to take care of him. That's the only way he knows to get friends. Having people adopt him.

"I actually don't think that you could tie your shoes without me."

It's said jestingly, teasingly, and Tony knows that on some level, encourages it, even, but it... stings slightly. Really, Pepper? I survived all of my formative years and most of college without you, I survived three mon-- no, no, back up, delete, retreat, DO NOT THINK OF THAT HERE!

"I'd make it a week," he says flippantly, deflecting. Pepper has the audacity to raise an eyebrow at him.

"Really?" she asks, narrowing her eyes at him. "What's your Social Security number?"

So it was going to be that way, huh? Well, Tony can play, too. Pretending to think about it, he says at length, "Five." Four-seven, five-two, four-three-eight-seven.

"Five?" Pepper repeats, half in prompt and half in disbelief.

"Right," Tony replies, and there, right on cue, there's that 'you hopeless man' look.

"Right," she sighs, a hint of a smile tugging at her coral-painted lips. "You're missing just a couple of digits there."

"The other eight?" he says back, smirking when she nods. "So I got you for the other eight."

And there's the heart of the matter. He could easily take care of himself, he doesn't have to have someone around to do it for him... but he knows, deep in his gut, that doing so would put him on the same path his father went down, emotionally distant and unable to connect even with his wife and son. He may not need Pepper to take care of him, but he needs her, now more than ever, to keep him human. To remind him that he's more than a creator of weapons, more than a media icon or Fortune 500 heir, more than the public persona rut he's dug himself trying to keep everyone's interpersonal expectations of him low enough to not open himself too far.

And this was starting to drag him back down towards the Things He Should Not Dwell On In Public. "Do you wanna get some air?"

"Yes."


End file.
